about

Hope Sippola Shayne Zurilgen in Fiery Ginger Farm Nursery

Spork Food Hub was started by Hope Sippola and Shayne Zurilgen (co-owners of Fiery Ginger Farm) in the middle of the COVID-19 Pandemic as a response to supply chain challenges that schools in the Sacramento Region were facing.

Created as a solution to ease school food procurement, Spork Food Hub has since expanded to supply fresh local produce to dozens of school districts, universities, food security programs, hospitals, and other institutions. We work with over 60 (and counting!) local family farms to provide nutrient-dense and sustainable produce to customers. We also offer pre-cut and processed seasonal items. Prospective farmers, wholesalers and the general public are welcome to visit us on-site each week to connect with us, our growers and shop our Farmstand Showcase.

Spork Food Hub exists to improve access to local food for those who need it most. By partnering with local farms and directing the produce to local nutrition programs we are making a difference by keeping these foods and dollars in our communities. Learn more about our farmers.

Spork Food Hub is the culmination of Hope and Shayne’s work in farming, education, community engagement and advocacy. We strive to contribute to a more equitable and sustainable food system that supports well being, economic empowerment and community vitality for future generations.

Farm to Fork: Locally Procured Produce from Spork Food Hub, provided by UC Davis Student Housing, May 3, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrCcj-wAMb0

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SACRAMENTO BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Field to fork food hub one option for the big barn at The Cannery

THE DAVIS ENTERPRISE

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From Farm to Corrections, One Harvest at a Time

IMPACT JUSTICE

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hope sippola

FOUNDER

Hope Sippola is a farm-to-school leader, innovator, and educator. She has 10+ years of farming experience, specializing in intensive, small-scale mixed vegetable, pork and broiler chicken production. She has built and implemented farm-to-school programs to bring students an understanding of the environment, food systems, and nutrition. She previously worked for school garden support organizations as the Grants and Program Coordinator for Davis Farm to School. Hope has a deep passion for connecting family farms to a stable, sustainable wholesale market and enjoys helping institutions access fresh local produce. What she finds most rewarding about her work is the cultivation of meaningful and lasting community partnerships that support the common good.

shayne zurilgen

FOUNDER

Shayne Zurilgen is originally from Stockton, California where he taught middle school science for many years. He spent his summers designing gardens and landscapes and later working on a cattle ranch. For seven years he was a staff member at the Boggs Tract Community Farm in Stockton. After fifteen years in the classroom, he moved to Yolo County to start a farm. While attending the California Farm Academy (Center for Land-Based Learning) he met Hope and the two started Fiery Ginger Farm. Shayne currently lives in West Sacramento with his wife Patty and young son Ryan.